I know, I know. It’s been a while. But I’ve been really busy doing things like SITTING COURT-SIDE AT A SUNS GAME! Yeah, you heard right. Last Sunday I had the distinct honor of watching the Suns play a fantastic game against the Timberwolves from half-court, about four feet from the edge of the court.

Our seats. I know, right?

How did I get this magnificent honor? Lady luck, my friends. It was one of those situations where if only one little happening hadn’t gone exactly the way it did, I probably would have missed the entire ordeal. To simplify the whole night, it started with me neglecting to cover a shift at work, and ended with my friend Nick and I riding in a secret elevator down to floor zero of the US Airways Center courtesy of a nice couple who decided to let us take their upgraded seats.

And oh God, were they an upgrade. Free beer and wine, gourmet hot dogs at half-time and a better view than I had as a cheerleader at my high school’s basketball games.

Our ridiculous view.

To make it all the better, the Suns played like champs offensively. Channing Frye was on fire, JRich made a stellar debut and the team averaged 53% from behind the arc. It was a joy to watch. Sure, defense was less than perfect, but at this point, I’ll take it.

There have been a lot of other happenings worth discussing in the Suns world since my night of unbridled glee, and I’ll get to those soon, (summary: Suns lose to Magic, then BEAT THE CELTICS and basically rock the NBA’s world) but for now I’ll leave you with this: Corey Brewer almost landed in my lap… not as good as a Sun riding shotty, but it’ll do.

So we all know Steve Nash is great at basketball. I doubt I need to convince anyone that he’s also ridiculously good at soccer. Now we can add actor/funnyman to the list. Ok, maybe this isn’t the newest development. Nash has always shown off his wit and charm in his interviews and TV spots, but really, did we know he had this in him?

And if that’s not enough, check out last year’s Vitamin Water spot:

It’s no wonder now that Shaq allegedly stole his “Shaq Vs.” idea. I have a feeling Nash could throw down in an acting challenge… although…

I know I’m a few days late on this, but forgive me.. I’ve been away from my computer fighting crime (or something) for the past few days. Still, exciting news, Suns fans!

US Airways Center has announced an agreement with METRO light rail stating that anyone holding a ticket to an event at Planet Orange gets a free ride.

As a fan who rode the light rail to every game I attended last year, I’m thrilled about this development. As an ASU student, last year the light rail was offered for free, but this year it’s costing us $40 a semester for the privilege. Sure, it’s mildly inexpensive, but when compared to the free.99 I’m used to spending, it hurts. But forget that! Now, I can return to cheaper times, and look forward to another season of free transportation to my favorite events.

This is a great call for a lot of reasons. First, it saves us money. Not only do we get the price of the ride comped, but we also avoid the $10-20 parking fees. Plus, its safer. Let’s be real, there is a hefty majority of fans that are doing their part to keep the beer industry afloat. Anything we can do to decrease DUIs is A-OK in my book. The only glitch in this idea is that the light rail really only stops people from driving if they live in Tempe or Mesa.. otherwise its park-and-ride. But hey, it’s a start.

The deal will also apply to WNBA games, concerts and any other USAC events. So weigh in: will you be riding the light rail to your USAC events this year? Or is the lengthy commute not worth the dollars saved?

A healthy rivalry is always a good thing when it comes to sports. Nothing makes a game more exciting than when the opposing team is one that you feel has personally offended you simply by existing. As a Suns fan, there are a few teams out there that tend to inspire such intense emotions.. However, one team above all others incites a category 5 level of rage from this particular Suns girl.

The San Antonio Spurs. Even typing their team name makes my blood pressure rise. I remember for my 20th birthday my dad took me to a Suns/Spurs game.. it was my only experience sitting in the lower level and it was magical. My dad got the seats because a friend from work had season tickets and was willing to give up 2 of the 4 for us. As such, my pop and I were joined by some of his esteemed co-workers. Have you ever blacked out from rage? I think that happened that day. I don’t remember many details from that game, but I know I came home with no voice and some ‘splaining to do when it came to my dad’s friends’ now sour impressions of me.

The thing with the Spurs is that they’re just dirty. The Lakers have always been rivals of ours, and I can think of quite a few of their players that I would gladly smack around, but I can at least admit (though chagrined) that they’ve got skill. The Spurs will foul and foul and foul and straight up fight their opponents all the while employing the classic “who me?” face once the whistle blows. Don’t believe me? Check out David Gladow’s blog showing the Spurs top ten iffy plays here.

And if the actual fouling isn’t bad enough, the overblown theatrics that these jerks employ to draw fouls boggles the mind. For instance:

Let’s examine this picture. Tony Parker is curled up in a ball.. Steve Nash stands over him.. The natural reaction is, “What the hell did Nash do to Parker??” Good question. Clearly someone was hurt in this showdown.. and clearly that someone was Parker, right? Why else would he be in the fetal position on the court while Nash stands victorious? Let’s take a closer look at the aftermath, shall we?

Wait, what? Nash was the one who got hurt? And yet Parker hit the floor like an abused puppy? Something doesn’t seem right… I call shenanigans! The line of logic for Spurs players seems to be if you get hit, hit the floor and wait for a whistle. Sorry folks, but this fan will not stand for such malarkey. For more in depth analysis of how following games in this season devolved into nonsensical boxing from the Spurs, go here.

It’s a burden hating one team so much, it really is. Beyond the excruciating anxiety and rage that I willingly subject myself to every Suns/Spurs game, there’s also the personal ramifications. I’ll leave you with this sad anecdote from an otherwise stellar first date this summer.

Guy: So, do you like sports?

Me: Yeah, I follow most, but I’m a HUGE basketball fan.

Guy: Wow, that’s really cool. I’m not a giant basketball person but I do follow the Spurs when I can.

Me: Really?

Guy: Yeah, they’re just fun to watch!

Needless to say, I never saw the dude again. Every person has their deal-breaker. Whether its smoking, dog allergies, lack of sense of humor.. we all have at least one thing that we cannot get over, no matter how great a date may be going. For this lady, a Spurs fan is never going to make the cut.

It, like me, is practically glowing with anticipation! (photo by eventchaser.com)

Guys. It’s almost here. Basketball season is fast approaching and I, for one, could not be more thrilled. Walking into US Airways Arena for the first time in a season is like Christmas morning, except there’s beer and hotdogs instead of egg nog and biscuits. Which…even better, right?

I am preparing for the pending Suns season by regularly perusingStubHub and trying to find the cheapest and best tickets for pre-season games. The pre-season is a perfect time for those of us who rarely have the funds to sit in the lower level of Planet Orange to see the action from a better vantage point. Last year, my friend and I were able to score seats directly above the tunnel for a whopping $12 a pop in the Hawks matchup. Raja Bell and I made eye contact… Jealous?

This season I am particularly tickled about getting to watch an early game because these are typically the showdowns when new players are handed the most minutes. It’s a great opportunity to get the first real look at how these players will fit within the existing roster. Plus, this is supposed to be the season where the Suns emphatically return to the 7-Seconds-or-Less style of play that made them such a fun team to watch (which, by the way, Jack McCallum wrote a great book about. Perfect for any Suns fan). I’m simply giddy at the prospect. Sure, we dabbled last season after Porter left, but let’s be honest: as long as the Big Cactus was on the court, we weren’t flying nearly as fast as we could have.

But don’t let that comment lead you to believe I didn’t support Shaq… Here is some friends and me preparing to welcome the Big Aristotle at his first home game.

It’s going to be a wild year, people. The Suns are going to have to make plenty of changes, acclimate new players, and face the huge blow to morale that was last season. I certainly don’t and won’t pretend to be an expert on basketball strategy, skill or technique. Most of my knowledge comes from years of sitting on the sidelines while my dad taught my brother’s teams through the years. I am, however, a superfan. And that’s what this is little experimental blog is going to be about. As any sports nut knows, being a fan is a lot like an abusive relationship. No matter how much they knock us around, we can’t help but crawl back and think maybe this time things will be different. Here’s hoping this is our year.